Mailing-tube.



nu; 696,614. Patented Apr. l, |902;

T.WHEATLEY MAILING TUBE. 'Applintion led Apr.A 2 4, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WI TNESSES QQTTORNEYS.

TH: Nanmsrvms co, Prioraumc, WASHINGTON, u` c,

ilrrrrnn @marne Farmer rrrcn,

THOMAS WHEATLEY, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK.

MAlLINGeTUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 696,614, dated April l, 1902.

Application tiled April 24, 1901. Serial No. 571,304. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS WHEATLEY, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mailing-Tubes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full7 clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in mailing-tubes.

The object of this invention is to provide a light, stiff, and durable mailing-tube adapted to receive rolled articles-such as catalogues, drawings, and other matter-which it is de sired to protect from breakage or other injury in transportation and from which the inclosed matter may be readily removed without liability of injuring the same.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide means upon said tube whereby the inclosed matter is held from endwise dispiacement.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the parts of a mailing-tube, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis aperspective view of a mailing-tube embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a face view of the device seen in Fig. l, showing the method of breaking the seal at the meeting edges of the transverse slit in the tube. Fig. t is a face View of a slightly-modified form of myinvention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 4L. Fig. G is a still further modified form of my invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

It is well known that considerable difficulty is experienced in removing the inclosed matter from stiff unyielding mailing-tubes, particularly when the tube contains a large amount of such matter, and also when the cardboard or other heavy matter is rolled and placed in the tube. It is also known that it is difficult to retain the inclosed matter in position during transportation and that fre quently such matter. is lost by slipping through the ends of the tube.

Myinvention is designed to overcome these difiiculties; and it consists of a tube l, open at its opposite ends and provided with a lengthwise slit 2, preferably in aline substantially parallel with the axis of the tube. This slit 2 is preferably covered by a suitable flap 3, which is usually of more flexible material than the tube and is usually adhesively secured thereto at opposite sides of the slit. This fla-p 3 forms a convenient seal for the meeting edges of the tube and serves to hold said meetingredges in contact with each other during transportation, and although I have shown the flap 3 as consisting of a separate piece of paper or similar material it is evident that the tube may be formed of a series of layers of paper or pasteboard and the outer layer formed of slightlygreater circumferential length than the remaining layers of the tube and extends beyond the meeting edges or slit 2 for forming said flap. The inner face of the free edge of said flap may be provided with an adhesive substance or glue for permitting the same to be readilysecured to the opposite wall of the slit of the tube. Interposed between the flap and the adjacent portion of the tube, at one side of the lengthwise slit, is a flexible member 4, which is preferably arranged substantially parallel with the slit 2, extends beyond the opposite ends of the tube, and is held in position by the iiap 3 when the same is adhesively secured tothe tube. This member-t is preferably arranged in close proximity to the slit and serves as a convenient means for breaking the seal, 0r

Vrather for slitting the iiap 3 from end to end when desired to remove the contents of the tube, it being understood that when said seal or flap is broken the tube maybe readily eX- panded and the contents removed therefrom without liability of tearing or otherwise injuring the same. As previously stated, the Opposite ends of this membertextend beyond the corresponding ends of the tube, one end being usually of sufficient length to be returned through the tube and secured by tying or by any other suitable means to the opposite end or extension of the member et, preferably by tying, as seen in Fig. 2. By thus passing one end of the member 4 backwardly through the tube and its contents and uniting the same to the opposite end of said member it is evident that the contents of the tube are firmly held from endwise displacement, thereby in- IOO suring the safe transmission of the matter contained therein.

When it is desired to remove the contents of the tube, it is simply necessary to untie the ends ot` the member4, which may be a thread, a light wire, or other equivalent device, and to then draw one end toward the opposite end, thereby breaking the seal, or rather slitting the flap Although I have shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 this member 4 as extended beyond the opposite ends ot the tube, it is evident that one end only may be so extended for the purpose of returning the same through the tube and its contents, in which case I usually provide the opposite end of the tube with a suitable fastening member, as a washer or disk 6, the central portion of which may be -secured to the tube in any desired manner and the peripheral edge being free to spring outwardly, and the cord or wire or equivalent member 4 may be inserted between the member (l and the face of the tube, which serves to frictionally hold said end of the member 4 in position.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a tube 1 having a lengthwise slit 2 through one of its side walls extending inwardly from one end only a portion ofthe length'ot' the tube and terminating at its inner end in a transverse slit extending only a small portion of its circumference for permitting the portion bounded by said slits to be sprung outwardly, thus permitting access to the inclosure for withdrawing the same. f AtFig. 6 I have showna member 4 as con- V'sisting of a metal strip similarly inserted between the iap Sand adjacentportion of the tube and having its opposite ends extended beyond the ends of the tube and adapted to be folded inwardly for retaining the contents of the tube from endwise displacement.

The operation ot' my invention is as follows: The tubes are first formed with a lengthwise slit, a thread, wire, or equivalent device is arranged in contact with the tube substantially parallelwith and in proximity to the lengthwise slit, and a seal or paster is then adhesively applied to the tube to cover the slit and to hold the thread, wire, or equiva lent device in position. The matter to be mailed or otherwise transported is then placed within the tube, one end ot' the thread, wire, or other device being returned through the tube and its contents and fastened at the opposite end of the tube for holding the contents ot the tube from endwise displacement. When desired to remove the contents of the tube, the ends of the device 4 are loosened and one end is drawn backwardly toward the opposite end of the tube, thereby breaking the seal or slitting the flap and revealing the slit in the tube, whereupon the tube may be readily expanded andthe contents removed without liability of tearing or otherwise injuring the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf l. A mailing-tube partially divided or split lengthwise from one end for permitting said end to be expanded irrespective of the other end to facilitate removing ot' the contents of said tube, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A mailing-tube having one of its inclosing walls split from one end through only a portion of its length to facilitate removing of the contents of said tube, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 3. A mailing tube split from one end through only part ot' its length and having a transverse slit leading from the lengthwise slit to facilitate removing of the contents of said tube, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A mailing-tube having'one of its inclosing Walls split from one end through only a portion of its length and a iiap covering the slit.

5. A mai1ing-tube slit lengthwise from one end through only part of its length, said slit terminating in a transverse slit of less length than the perimeter of the tube to facilitate removing of the contents of said tube, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

6. A mailing-tube havinga lengthwise slit through only a portion of the length of one of its walls, and a fastening member adapted to be extended into the tube for holding the inclosed matter from endwise displacement.

7. A mailing-tube having a lengthwise slit through only a portion of the length of one of its walls, a flap secured to the tube and covering the slit and a exible member between the tube and flap for slitting said iiap.

S. A mailing-tube having a lengthwise slit through only a portion'of the length of one of its walls, a flap secured to the tube and covering the slit and a flexible member between the tube and iiap for slitting said iiap, said member being returned into the tube for holding the inclosed matter in position.

9. A mailing-tube slit lengthwise from one end, said slit terminating in a transverse slit of less length than the perimeter of the tube and a Hap secured to the tube and covering the lengthwise slit.

10. A mailing-tube slit lengthwise from one end, said slit terminating in a transverse slit of less length than the perimeter of the tube, a flap secured to the tube and covering the lengthwise slit and a flexible member between the tube and Hap for the purpose described.`

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, 1901.

' THOMAS VVHEATLEY.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. Norr.

IIO 

